1. Statement of the Technical Field
The inventive arrangements relate to the field of data propagation, and more particularly, to bandwidth utilization of a data bitstream.
2. Description of the Related Art
Network bandwidth is a critical resource in large communications systems. Assuming that all other parameters are equal, the amount of data that can be propagated in a particular communications system is proportional to the available network bandwidth. The available network bandwidth can change, however, due to a variety of factors such as loss of service, signal obstruction and jamming.
In some communications systems data is prioritized and a server is tasked with providing a minimum bandwidth to data that is designated a high priority status in an attempt to guarantee a minimum level of quality of service (QoS) for the high priority data. QoS is typically measured in terms of average delay, variation in delay, and transmission error rate for the data being transmitted. Unfortunately, maintaining the minimum bandwidth for the high priority data oftentimes results in reallocating to the high priority data bandwith that was assigned for other data communications within the network.
Bandwidth reallocation schemes are typically based on policy and reservation criteria arranged in advance. Such schemes are known to cause transmission errors for the other data communications and significant data loss can occur. In some instances, for example in tactical command and control systems, such communication errors are highly undesirable; data which is not assigned highest priority may, nonetheless, still be critical. Accordingly, a solution is needed to reduce loss of data in communications systems in which the available network bandwidth may vary.